


Pitfall

by SoDoRoses (FairyChess)



Series: LAOFT Extras [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: M/M, Past Abuse, Sad times ahead, sensory triggers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-10 02:41:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18929638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairyChess/pseuds/SoDoRoses
Summary: Roman stumbles (in more ways than one).Virgil catches him (In every way he can try).Love and Other FairytalesVerse





	Pitfall

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt fill from a nonnie:
> 
> "hi tbh im interested in like. how laoft roman deals with Everything To Do With Dee after the main storyline??? i mean ill probably love everything you write for laoft post-story and also just everything you write in general but also [eyes emojis] lov me some good good Dealing With The Aftermath Of Bad Times [eyes emojis]"
> 
> This is probably not nearly what you were getting at but its what my brain produced

Walking backwards through the woods was probably not Roman’s smartest idea, and Virgil had told him as much about a half dozen times in the past hour.

The most recent, Roman had sighed that he just couldn’t  _bear_  to take his eyes of Virgil for a moment, and he’d been  _very_  pleased with the bright red that had answered him.

They were alone – Virgil checking on his mother, in the darkest spots and the deepest shadows of the forest, muttering words Roman didn’t understand in a tone of voice that made the hair stand up on the back of Roman’s neck. Roman had come with, being familiar with the forest and unwilling to leave Virgil with no company on such a seemingly boring errand. Virgil had seemed amused.

“You’re ridiculous,” said Virgil.

“And you’re stunning,” said Roman, “A vision, absolutely,”

Virgil was biting the inside of his cheek, clearly trying to keep from laughing. He rolled his eyes, but he didn’t take back his hands, which Roman had gripped in his own as he walked backward.

“Don’t laugh, I mean it!”

“I know,” said Virgil fondly. He glanced up, just behind Roman.

Whatever he saw made him take a step forward, so they were side by side and then-

And then he reached up and cupped the back of Roman’s neck, pushing gently so Roman ducked.

“Watch your head,” he said softly, but suddenly Roman couldn’t hear him over the roaring in his own ears.

The world went dull and muted. Roman’s throat closed, his awareness narrowing to the pressure of Virgil’s cool hand on the back of his neck that somehow felt like a brand, like a mark of ownership, and Roman clamped down on his panic because he was here, here and not there and this was Virgil and not-

“Ro? Are you okay?”

“Of course,” said Roman, before he could stop himself, a practiced and perfected smile clicking into place. He didn’t even sound winded, which was impressive, considering he felt like steel bands had been wrapped around his chest.

Virgil didn’t seem convinced. He drew his fingers through the hair at Roman’s nape, obviously trying to soothe him.

Roman tried to contain it, but he fell short. A tiny, choked noise left him, just this side of a sob.

Virgil froze completely, staring, intent.

“Roman,” he said carefully, “What- what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” lied Roman, still smiling, reflexive, like muscle memory, and then Virgil frowned and the sheer overwhelming panic that shot through Roman’s chest nearly made his knees buckle.

“You don’t have to do that,” said Virgil quietly, “You don’t- I love you. I want to help,”

Virgil’s face had been turning steadily more red as he spoke, and between that and the words that echoed, calm and  _true_  and different, so different – Roman found the courage to speak.

“Can you-” Roman swallowed, the pressure at his nape distracting and his stomach twisting and he had to say it, had to at least say  _something-_

“Can you not touch the back of my neck?” he said his voice strangled.

Virgil’s face showed no reaction – he mostly didn’t have a reaction at all, except that his hand moved from Roman’s neck to his shoulder near-instantaneously.

“Better?” he said quietly, and there was an undercurrent of…  _something_ , something Roman couldn’t quite decipher. If he hadn’t been  _with_  Virgil for the past few hours, he might have thought Virgil was hiding an injury.

“Yes,” Roman breathed, feeling hot and embarrassed.

“What about your face?” said Virgil. Roman startled.

“What about it?”

“Is it okay if I touch your face?”

Roman’s eyes stung faintly.

“Yeah,” he said, “Yeah, I- I like when you touch my face.

And he  _did –_ the temperature and smoothness reminded Roman of cooling cloths on hot summer days. It didn’t make sense. He had… had touched his face plenty – there was no reason the back of his neck should upset him and not his face. Roman was being irrational, and worse he was being a shitty boyfriend because Virgil would  _never_ -

Virgil’s response was do just that, cup Roman’s face gently and draw one thumb back and forth over Roman’s cheekbone, soothing, soft and firm. Grounding.

“Sorry,” muttered Roman.

“Don’t apologize,” whispered Virgil, that strained note becoming more prominent, “Fuck, Roman, don’t- don’t apologize to me,”

 _Sorry_ , Roman thought, but didn’t say.

Virgil didn’t press him. Instead, his hands slipped off Roman’s face, his arms opening, an offering.

Roman went, tucked into Virgil’s chest, surrounded by gentle, gentle, gentle and soft cool lips against his forehead.

“Let’s go home, yeah?” said Virgil.

“Yeah,” said Roman. His voice was thick and ragged.

Virgil didn’t ask. He wouldn’t, Roman knew; he never did. He never asked for anything that Roman didn’t offer up first.

So Roman offered his hand as they fell in step, and Virgil took it. And when Roman smiled, shaky but genuine, Virgil smiled back like the moon breaking out from cloud cover, soft and kind and just the faintest bit sad.

Roman’s fear did not dissipate completely, but it was a dark and cringing thing. How could it face a smile like that?

**Author's Note:**

> I'm [ tulipscomeinallsortsofcolors ](%E2%80%9Dtulipscomeinallsortsofcolors.tumblr.com%E2%80%9D) over on tumblr, feel free to make a shouting or shoot my a prompt


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